The club is open to all, but club events take place during the week and we meet at Chilson Senior Center in Loveland, CO. Our basic purpose is to fish, but we're easily distracted by the chance to work with youngsters or improve northern Colorado outdoor resources.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Per his invitation at the September club meeting, Leland Haskell has some restored cars "that most folks have never heard of before," and he's inviting club members to have a look at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30. The address is 3840 S. Garfield Ave., Loveland; phone 970-593-2923.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Front Range Anglers has compiled a list of recommended fly fishing waters reasonably close to home, while we're waiting for Front Range flooding to subside. Here's the link.

Front Range Anglers is a Boulder-based fly fishing store and guide service. Their choice for fishable waters within a 3-hour radius of Boulder: the Blue, Fraser, Williams Fork, South St. Vrain and the South Platte Rivers.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

I for one was disheartened by an aerial video of our Bellevule Watson hatchery at under water last week, but lo and behold! the hatchery "did survive and has quite a few fish left," reports Clayton Brossart, Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager. It's good news for flood-weary fishermen for the fall - and holding promise for a reasonable winter ice fishing season.

"They've been trying to empty the hatchery by stocking out ahead of schedule," Clayton says. "They stocked Boyd, Flatiron and Lon Hagler this week, so the fishing should be good as the water clears up."

Tom Miller also reports that Flatiron and Pinewood have gotten fish since the flood. He also swears he saw trout trying to jump back into the Boyd outlet pipe from Horseshoe Lake. See his photo below.

Water from Horseshoe pours into a rapidly filling Boyd Sept. 20, as a couple of anglers try their luck at the Marina Inlet.

Friday, September 20, 2013

We'll be updating you as circumstances dictate on what's known about area fishing and the outdoors in general. Horsetooth, Boyd, Carter and others are open, but there are longer, evolving lists of what's closed. The Boulder Canyon and Canyon Lakes ranger districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests are also closed temporarily, due to saturated soils and the need to facility emergency response.

Even though the water's pretty muddy and getting worse, I'd recommend the Marina and Heinrici inlets at Boyd, where water coming from Horseshoe is creating a current that attracts predator fish. Let us know how you're doing there or elsewhere. Any word on conditions at Lon Hagler, Boedecker, Lonetree or elsewhere? Know they're full and muddy; any fish biting?

I'll be looking for links to agencies providing reports on other areas. If you want to chime in on others, send me a note. My thanks to club friend Dennis Smith, author of the Home Waters column, for help identifying closed area. Bill.

Here's a partial list of closings as of 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 20.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

During Tuesday's club meeting, I noted that we were about to celebrate our 10th anniversary, but some of our founding fathers weren't around to reminisce or enjoy some cake and ice cream: Two of first
presidents were nowhere to be seen, Jim Clune and Norm Englebrecht, and neither was our government affairs chair, Jim Roode. Here's why:

Sept. 18, 2013 - The Loveland Fishing
Club, a group of about 100 anglers affiliated with the Chilson Senior Center,
is donating $1,000 to the Northern Colorado Donation Center, set up to
facilitate aid to Big Thompson flood victims.

"We were holding
our monthly meeting Tuesday, and the idea was met with unanimous
approval," says Club President Jerry Miles. "Some thought we
should donate directly to the Red Cross, but we like the way the new center is
focused on our community, and that the aid goes for what local disaster relief
people feel is needed most.”

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Several club members have asked for a link to the Fort Collins Coloradoan video shown at the Sept. 17 club meeting, showing the impact of flooding along the Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre. Click here to view.

If you're heading somewhere and wondering if you can still get there from here, Google has created a nifty, interactive and regularly updated map showing northern Front Range road closings. Here's the link. Click on a portion of the map to enlarge the area you're interested in.

Bill Thompson

Bob Thorpe

Warren Trock

Dan Valencia

Bernie Wysock

Bill Richie

Monday, September 16, 2013

We hate to do this, as dozens of club members have busted
themselves getting ready for the third annual derby, and a great turnout was
expected. But the floods got to us.

After inspecting Flatirons Reservoir and the roads into the Larimer County Parks and Open Space property Monday, organizer Ray Park reluctantly decided the senior derby would have to be
cancelled. The club tournament planned
for Monday Sept. 23, will also not be held.

Northern Colorado’s natural resources have suffered enormous
losses, many of which won’t be apparent for weeks or months. The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife
hatchery at Laporte, friends who have supported major club events including this
week’s derby, was inundated by the Cache la Poudre. And we know there’s major
damage to the new River’s Edge Natural Area in Loveland, which the club had
planned to support at a grand opening Sept. 28.
They’re going to have other needs for a long time.

As for the Senior Derby and our disappointed but understanding
friends at area assisted living centers, we’ll put together another event in 2014 that will knock their support hose
off.

Monday, September 9, 2013

The
third annual Loveland Senior Fishing Derby is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Flatiron Reservoir west of Loveland on County Road
18E.

The
free event is co-sponsored by the Loveland Fishing Club and Chilson Senior
Center, aided by the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife, which will be
stocking the lake with trout to help ensure the day’s success. We need lots of volunteer help to ensure a great day for these elderly anglers, so be sure to add your name to Ray Park's signup sheet at breakfast or the Sept. 17 club meeting. This is quickly become one of the year's highlights.

Residents
of all assisted living centers in the city have been invited to participate, and
the club is covering the cost of their fishing license. Chilsen Senior Center
is also signing up participants.

The Harvest Bazaar at Chilson, an annual fund-raising event for the Chilson Senior Advisory Committee, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20.

The Loveland Fishing Club is traditionally a major supporter, and volunteers are needed to help with meal prep, cleanup and other activities. See the signup sheet at breakfast and at the Tuesday, Sept. 17 club meeting for details.